


We Were Young

by SomeoneYouDontKnow



Series: where they are now|1D [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Zayn, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta Liam, Eventual Alpha Harry, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Kid Direction, Liam-centric, Light Angst, M/M, Not Beta Read, POV Third Person, Self-Degrading Thoughts, Vague Underage Instances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-08 17:03:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5505857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeoneYouDontKnow/pseuds/SomeoneYouDontKnow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn's kinda beautiful, and Liam's kinda screwed. They're both kids anyway, he'll get over it soon.</p><p>Or, Zayn's an alpha, Liam's a beta, Harry's something, and they're all young and stupid. And here is a story about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Were Young

**Author's Note:**

> Soooooo, this was supposed to be out a long fucking time ago. But that's before I lost all of my work and then I was writing something else and this just got put on the back-burner. But it's here now, and I hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> ***There is a small scene which depicts Zayn having his first rut, and Liam walks into his room. Nothing sexual actually happens between the two of them, but I just wanted to put it out there that 12-year-old Liam and Zayn are in a room together, turned on and debating whether to "help each other out". If that makes you uncomfortable, please don't read this.

Despite what opinions you have on eight-year old's, you can't deny that they're creative.

Or, at least, that's what Karen Payne tells anyone who asks about her son.

Liam's young, but he has a rich mind, or that's what his dad says. Maybe that's why he's out in the scorching sun, selling lemonade with his best friend, Harry. Bright mind, making profit for that new book he wanted, but young, in the way that it was a little naive to think they wouldn't get a terrible sunburn out here.

It seems to not matter, though. Because the good outweighs the bad, and they've sold over 50 glasses in an hour. It's probably because of the heat, and Harry's dimples, but Liam like to think he contributed. Mixing lemonade powder, sugar, and water can be difficult work, or so Liam convinces himself. 

They're about to pack up the stand, red noses and shoulders, when a black car pulls up in front of the boys. There's a woman in the front seat, and Liam can already see Harry's placing his award-winning smile onto his face, ready to serve her, when a boy about Liam's age steps out from the back of the car.

He's is gorgeous, all pretty dark skin and soft hair. Liam doesn't know what to think, really, as he stands gawking at the boy in front of him.

He is snapped out of his dreams when Harry gave him a sharp elbow to the side, staring pointedly at him, then to the other boy. Liam's eyes widen in realization, exchanging the money in his hand for a small cup of lemonade.

The boy smiles shyly, tipping back the drink back and gulping it down before Liam's very eyes. There was something...off about the boy. Not a bad something. Definitely not a bad something. But he made Liam feel all weird and happy on the inside, and he had never felt that feeling before in his life.

"I'm Zayn," the boy said quietly, carefully placing the plastic cup back onto the table. Liam's heart sky-rockets, and he barely notices Harry cackling as he stutters through an introduction. But Zayn doesn't seem to mind, his small smile growing until it covers his whole face. Mouth open and eyes squinting from the force of it.

They both study each other, Zayn with his wide-eyed grin and Liam with an astonished expression, and it's sickeningly sweet. Or maybe just sickening to seven-year-old Harry, but no one is asking him anyway. No one ever does.

"Can ya stop lookin' at each other like you're mates or somethin'?" The youngest slurred, frowning at the two boys.

Liam waves him off, giving heart-eyes to the dark-haired boy before saying, "wanna' come play at my house?"

"Play?" Zayn asks.

"I mean...hang out! Not, like, play. Hang out," Liam stutters, and he can hear Harry giggling behind him.

 _Zayn's an_ alpha, _of course Liam has to act grown-up around him. Can't even say the word 'play'._ Harry thinks, scoffing loudly at the two disgusting boys. It reminds him of whenever he goes to Liam's house, his dad all big and threatening and very _alpha_. Liam's always looking to impress him, getting him food and doing whatever he says. Harry doesn't get it, not really, but he hasn't presented yet, so it's common for him to be confused about a lot of things, or so his mom says.

When neither of the two love-struck pups in front of Harry give him a second glance, he rolls his eyes deep into the back of his head, muttering a small 'goodbye' before walking off down the street, disappearing out of sight.

-

"Mom!" Liam cries, fat tears leaking out of his large brown eyes. "I didn't mean to! Harry's the one who left! Why should I get in trouble? I didn't do anything!" He grips onto his mom's nightgown, tugging at the silky fabric frantically. The short woman looks down at her son with a stern glare, trying to pry him off her side, when he suddenly jumps back, knocking into the coffee table.

Both of the Paynes watch, frozen, as the candle holder on top wobbles like a baby taking its first steps, before crashing to the floor. There's silence after the loud sound, and Liam slowly turns, not ready to face his mother's wrath. It comes anyway.

"Liam James Payne, you march up to your room this instant and stay there until you're ready to apologize!" Karen tries to be calm, but her voice is rising, and Liam sprints out of the room before it can get any worse.

It's not very long after that Liam comes slumping out of his room, trudging to the kitchen where his mom and sister Ruth are preparing dinner. It's spaghetti, and the scent of it assaults the beta's nose. It takes him back to last month, when the whole family was there to make dinner together, his dad and another sister, Nicola, gathered around the kitchen counter. Though Liam wasn't a big help with the meal (he mostly likes to do taste tests of the food, and maybe sneak a few chocolates from the cupboard), he loves spending time with his entire family, because they didn't do that very often. His dad is a big lawyer, always travelling and usually taking Nicola with him, because they were all home-schooled, and Nicola was the oldest, so she always got to stay in the big, fancy hotels while their dad battled case after case. Ruth had gone with him a few times, but she was only 11, so she was more interested in meeting up with friends and having sleepovers than visiting her dad. But Liam had never gone, always the excuse of you're too young, love, maybe next year' that he's been hearing since what feels like forever to the eight-year-old.

"I'm sorry," Liam sniffles out, startling Ruth enough that she drops her spoon into pasta sauce. Liam winces, empathetic, and goes to help her get it out when his mom stops him in front of her. Karen, though she looks short and sweet most of the time, is staring down at her only son with a look of 'is that all'?

"I'm really sorry?" Liam tries again. He can see his sister looking at him quizzically from beside the stove, but Liam ignores her, giving his full attention to his small, but feisty, omega mom.

"Really? That's all you want to say?" Liam's mom growls out, and he shrinks back, head low and neck on full display. There's a small gasp from behind his mom, and Liam opens his eyes enough to see Ruth zipping out of the room. None of them like when their mom is like this. Even though she's a lower status than them, she's still their mom, and can bring Liam and his sisters to their knees just as an alpha can to their mate.

"You left Harry alone to walk home! He's so young, and he could've gotten hurt!" Karen leans over her son in a threatening stance, and Liam curls in on himself even more, shuttering. The blonde woman seems to notice since she steps back quickly, but the hard-as-stone stare is still stapled to her features.

"He's only a year younger than me, ma. You let me and him out all the time together," Liam protests weakly, straightening his back once again and daring himself to look his mother in the eye. He chickens out, facing the floor.

"Yes, you and him _together_ , Liam. That's different than him walking home alone!" Karen states, then looks around, relaxing her shoulders in a sudden mood change. "And you know Anne thinks Harry is an omega, love. We can't have him having his first heat when he's alone and on the streets." It's a heavy sentence, Karen's voice dropping low and moving at a sluggish pace that reminds Liam of Harry, like what she's saying is a government conspiracy that no one can ever know.

"I met my _alpha_ , mom," Liam whines, not seeing the point in the argument. _Harry got home safe. Why does it matter?_

"And Zayn's a very nice boy who you will be the best of friends with," Karen agrees. "But that doesn't mean you get to get to leave all your other friends in the dirt." And with that Liam is sent up to bed, with a small bowl of pasta and a promise to apologize to the curly-haired boy tomorrow.

-

Harry pops his first knot a year later, to everyone's surprise. He's still small, compact and more omega-shaped then anything, but his rut comes fast and early, about a week after he presents. It puts a bigger rift between Harry and Zayn, though there was already jealousy before hand.

Harry's been Liam's friend since they were six, and it constantly annoys Zayn that the  _other alpha_ ("Zayn, it wasn't like he was an alpha when we were younger. I'm still yours." "That doesn't mean anything, Liam. He's always been one."). And, because of that, Zayn's constantly annoying Harry and picking on him. It doesn't help that Liam spends less time with the curly-haired brunette each day. It's not the beta's fault. He has an alpha now. Why would he hang out with another one?

Apparently, that's not a good enough excuse for the eight-year-old, because Harry's constantly invading on Liam's time with Zayn, and it's proving to hurt all of the relationships between the three of them. 

"Don't you think for once in your life you could stop being so annoying?" Zayn whips coldly one day late in August. Liam and him were spending the afternoon at the park, before Harry came, loud and rudely mocking everything the other alpha seemed to do.

"I don't know,  _Zayn_ , you want to make me?" Harry puffs out his chest, standing tall. Him and Zayn size each other up, before Zayn matches Harry's pose. They're circling around, looking for a hole in the others armor; a way to attack.

It would be funny to any other person. Two pups squaring off, trying to look big and tough, but to nine-year-old Liam, it's absolutely petrifying. He vaguely recalls his dad shoving a drunk beta away when he was getting a little to touchy with Liam's mom years ago, but it's nothing like this. 

And right when both alphas are tensing, waiting to lunge, Liam leaps in between them.

It makes the air mixed with pheromones and reeking heavily of anger to turn to befuddlement. Liam's facing Zayn, looking him in the eye, shaking his head between small pants. Zayn, though, is still staring over the beta's shoulder, and it takes walking right in front of him and shoving his chest a little for him to notice Liam. Once he breaks eye contact with the other alpha and moves his glare to the sky, Liam can here Harry stalking away. He doesn't do anything to stop it, though. He just waits until his alpha is calm, and walks him home. 

They don't see Harry very much after that.

-

Liam's walking up to Zayn's room a four years later. They're both 12, and Liam's made good friends with the Malik family. None of them but Zayn are there at the moment, the alpha choosing to stay home while his sisters and parents go to a movie, or so Doniya had told Liam. Liam's surprising him with an early birthday present, grinning almost maniacally as he climbs the stairs to the top floor of the Malik household.

The beta doesn't seem to sense a problem as he knocks enthusiastically at Zayn's door, ignoring the dense, musky smell surrounding him in favor of thinking about Zayn. They've definitely gotten close over the years, tied at the hip whenever they're in the same room. And, yes, maybe Liam has a little crush on his alpha. It's not conventional, not realistic or good for either of them, but he can't change his feelings. He has no time to realize why Zayn is suddenly all he can think about.

When the knock goes unanswered, Liam glowers. It's unlike Zayn to ever ignore anyone,  _especially Liam._ And since he must be able to smell the beta from outside his room, Liam's baffled and a little hurt that the alpha has decided to ignore him.

 _Or not,_ Liam thinks, as a croaked groan comes from inside the door. Liam rolls his eyes, assuming the dark-haired boy is just too lazy to get out of bed and come to greet him. So Liam shoulders the door open himself, a 'hello lazy git' in the middle of rolling off his tongue, when he stops dead, the present falling from his hands to the hardwood floor.

" _Liam_ ," Zayn whimpers, strung out and twisted on top of his bed, blanket and sheets strewn all over the room. The smell is overpowering. Like _alpha_ and _arousal_ and  _need._ Liam's head is spinning with the scents, feeling a curl of something deep in his stomach, swirling around and making him feel  _really good_ , which makes everything ten times more confusing than it already is. The beta can't stop staring at his alpha, everything else forgotten in the world as they gaze at each other. It's only then that Liam realizes that Zayn is naked, his beautiful, dark skin contrasting with the white mattress.

Another wave of the smell courses through the air, and Liam almost sinks to the floor. Zayn's grinding against his bed, small pleading noises making their way from his mouth. It makes Liam's pants tight, warmth and want rushing through him. It's something he's never felt before, and he doesn't understand. Doesn't understand what's happening. Doesn't understand why he wants to fall to his knees and bare his neck to Zayn. Doesn't understand why little noises are seeping from his lips, why there's an uncomfortable bulge in the front of his trousers.

As quick as he can, the beta backpedals out of the room, tripping over the forgotten gift on the floor and landing with a small exhale onto his back. He looks up, just to here Zayn mutter a desperate  _'please'_ , before kicking the door closed. The sound echos in the large hallway.

-

They don't talk for a week. Liam avoids the Maliks like his life depends on it, which proves very difficult when Zayn's sisters are persistent in getting him to come over and play with them, but Liam's learned to resist their pleas. His mom tells him that _it's okay, Zayn went into rut, hun, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Every beta just wants to please their alpha. There's nothing weird about feeling that way._

Except it was  _more_. Liam didn't want to just help his alpha. He wanted to kiss him. Touch him. Be with him.  _Under him_.

That was odd. Unnatural.  _Disgusting_.

So Liam runs from it. Hides away, doesn't let the feelings come to the surface. It hurts, when he finally sees Zayn again, that he avoids his eyes. Zayn can't even look at him. Because he's gross and is attracted to his alpha. And Zayn knows.

So he does the only thing he can. Liam smiles and nods, pretending like nothing's wrong. He stands by Zayn's side, engaging him in a conversation, and after a few short, two-word responses from Zayn, the black-haired boy starts saying more. Uncoiling from his stiff position and answering Liam's questions with more enthusiasm. It feels almost normal, like they both don't know what Liam wants. Like Liam isn't an abnormality that shouldn't exist.

But no one has to know that.

It's their little secret.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm feeling a little weird about posting this, and that the first ever smut/sex-thing/whatever that I've written is about children, but it's just what the universe has in it. Don't worry though, there won't be anymore (that I can think of) child/child inappropriate-ness happening anytime soon, if ever. I'm not into it. Sorry if that's what you were hoping.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading!! :)


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